Reports on Annual Expenditures for Travel, Hospitality and Conferences 2017-2018
As required by the Treasury Board Directive on Travel, Hospitality, Conference and Event Expenditures, this report provides information on the total annual expenditures for each of travel, hospitality and conferences for Global Affairs Canada for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018. It also provides explanations for the main variances from the previous fiscal year in each of these areas.
This information is updated annually and does not contain information withheld under the Access to Information Act or the Privacy Act.
Expenditures on travel, hospitality and conference fees incurred by federal departments and agencies are related to activities that support a departmental or agency mandate and the government’s priorities.
Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do
Raison d’être
Global Affairs Canada, under the leadership of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of International Trade Diversification, the Minister of International Development, and the Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie, is responsible for advancing Canada’s international relations, including the development and implementation of foreign policy, international trade and commerce, international assistance (encompassing humanitarian, development, and peace and security assistance), la Francophonie, consular services for Canadians, and the Government of Canada’s global network of missions abroad.
Mandate and role
Global Affairs Canada manages Canada’s diplomatic and consular relations with foreign governments and international organizations, engaging and influencing international players to advance Canada’s political and economic interests, including poverty reduction, the empowerment of women and girls, the promotion of a rules-based international system, international peace and security, human rights, inclusive and accountable governance, peaceful pluralism, inclusion and respect for diversity, and environmental sustainability.
To eradicate global poverty and to contribute to a more peaceful, prosperous and inclusive world, the department manages the majority of Canada’s international assistance. The department also leads coordinated Canadian responses to crises and natural disasters abroad, including the provision of needs-based humanitarian assistance.
Global Affairs Canada also manages Canada’s international platform—a global network of 178 missions in 110 countries that supports the international work of the department and 37 partner departments, agencies and co-locators.
To improve and maintain market access for Canadian businesses, the department leads the negotiation of bilateral, plurilateral and multilateral trade agreements, the administration of export and import controls, as well as the management of international trade disputes. Global Affairs Canada also provides advice and services to help Canadian businesses succeed abroad and attract foreign direct investment to Canada, and supports international innovation, science and technology.
The department delivers consular services and provides travel information to Canadians. It also supports global peace and stability and addresses international security threats such as terrorism, transnational organized crime and the proliferation of weapons and materials of mass destruction.
The department helps ensure Canada’s strong and sustained engagement in la Francophonie’s various institutions, in particular the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie. It works with member States and Governments of the Organisation to better define its core mandate, improve its functioning and transparency, and increase its impact.
Global Affairs Canada develops and implements policy and programming based on analysis of available evidence, including through consultation and engagement with Canadians and its international stakeholders. The department is responsible for fostering the development of international law and its applications in Canada’s foreign relations.
The department’s legal responsibilities are detailed in the 2013 Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act.Footnote i
For more general information about the department, see the “Supplementary information” section of this report. For more information on the ministers’ mandated commitments, see the minister’s mandate letters.Footnote ii
| Expenditure Category | Expenditures for the year ending March 31, 2018 (in thousands of dollars) | Expenditures for the previous year ending March 31, 20172 (in thousands of dollars) | Variance (in thousands of dollars) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Includes Office of Protocol–related hospitality. 2 2017-18 is the first year of reporting by Travel category. Previous year’s figures are not restated as per TBS’s instructions. | |||
| Travel | |||
| Operational activities | $57,728.9 | Not Applicable | |
| Key stakeholders | $2,620.1 | Not Applicable | |
| Internal governance | $478.6 | Not Applicable | |
| Training | $3,960.8 | Not Applicable | |
| Other | $3,067.5 | Not Applicable | |
| Total travel | $67,855.9 | $56,956.3 | $10,899.6 |
| Hospitality1 | $13,092.5 | $12,962.7 | $129.8 |
| Conference fees | $1,819.3 | $1,790.0 | $29.3 |
| Total [travel + hospitality + conference fees] | $82,767.7 | $71,709.0 | $11,058.7 |
| International travel by ministers and ministers’ staff (included in travel) | $849.3 | $1,080.5 | ($231.2) |
Significant variances compared with the previous fiscal year
The department increased its expenditures on travel, hospitality and conference fees by $11.1 million in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018 compared with the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017. The main variance is explained as follows:
Travel
Departmental travel expenditures increased in fiscal year 2017–2018. This increase was caused by program-related travel required for the new Duty of Care initiative, the G7 Summit, trade negotiations, United States engagement, training of trade commissioners and an advocacy towards United Nations Security Council.
- Date Modified:
